stop and clear print jobs - how?

I have two older printers connected to my printer port, HP Deskjet 812c andHP Laserjet 1100, by way of an electronic bidirectional T-switch.Occasionally, I forget to switch the switch and direct a print job to thewrong printer. This, of course, causes garbage to print.

At that point, I'd like to stop and clear the print job so I don't wasteink/toner and paper in printing pages of garbage. If I open the printerdialog, there are commands to pause printing, as well as to cancel thecurrent job and cancel all jobs. This easily clears jobs not yet started,but does not cancel and clear the job in progress. It indicates that it isdoing so, but it doesn't happen.

I have also found that with my old computer running Win98 and an HP Deskjet720c instead of the 812c, I could clear everything by shutting down thesystem including power off to the printer, then rebooting. With the new XPand 812c system, that doesn't clear the preint job and it continuesprinting garbage as soon as the system is rebooted and paper is in place inthe printer.

My current solution is to open the Task Manager and Processes tab. Bysorting the running processes by RAM usage, I can find a few that look likethey might be associated with the printing process - for example, thespooler service. If I close those processes, I am able to clear the jobs,but not knowing for sure what processes to stop, I am uncomfortable doingthat. Also, because I don't necessarily get all processes associated withprinting, I'm not sure this is working consistently.

One solution is to change the hardware. Both of these printers are parallelport devices, so adding a second port eliminates the problem. I consideredthat at some point in the past and for some reason - maybe shortage ofslots, but don't remember - discarded that approach. New USB printers, orat least one new USB printer would also solve the problem. That is thesolution that will eventually occur, but with both printers stillproividing the capability I need, I'm hesitant to arbitrarily replace oneor the other. So, I'm really looking for a way to clear the problem to makethngs more convenient, until I am ready to buy a new printer.

Is there a simple, clean and reliabel way to disrupt printing with thisconfiguration and clear the disrupted print jobs?

CR Optiker wrote:> WinXP Home, HP Deskjet 812c, HP Laserjet 1100>> I have two older printers connected to my printer port, HP Deskjet812c and> HP Laserjet 1100, by way of an electronic bidirectional T-switch.> Occasionally, I forget to switch the switch and direct a print job tothe> wrong printer. This, of course, causes garbage to print.>> At that point, I'd like to stop and clear the print job so I don'twaste> ink/toner and paper in printing pages of garbage. If I open theprinter> dialog, there are commands to pause printing, as well as to cancelthe> current job and cancel all jobs. This easily clears jobs not yetstarted,> but does not cancel and clear the job in progress. It indicates thatit is> doing so, but it doesn't happen.>> I have also found that with my old computer running Win98 and an HPDeskjet> 720c instead of the 812c, I could clear everything by shutting downthe> system including power off to the printer, then rebooting. With thenew XP> and 812c system, that doesn't clear the preint job and it continues> printing garbage as soon as the system is rebooted and paper is inplace in> the printer.>> My current solution is to open the Task Manager and Processes tab. By> sorting the running processes by RAM usage, I can find a few thatlook like> they might be associated with the printing process - for example, the> spooler service. If I close those processes, I am able to clear thejobs,> but not knowing for sure what processes to stop, I am uncomfortabledoing> that. Also, because I don't necessarily get all processes associatedwith> printing, I'm not sure this is working consistently.>> One solution is to change the hardware. Both of these printers areparallel> port devices, so adding a second port eliminates the problem. Iconsidered> that at some point in the past and for some reason - maybe shortageof> slots, but don't remember - discarded that approach. New USBprinters, or> at least one new USB printer would also solve the problem. That isthe> solution that will eventually occur, but with both printers still> proividing the capability I need, I'm hesitant to arbitrarily replaceone> or the other. So, I'm really looking for a way to clear the problemto make> thngs more convenient, until I am ready to buy a new printer.>> Is there a simple, clean and reliabel way to disrupt printing withthis> configuration and clear the disrupted print jobs?

I haven't tried this -- but I think if you cancel the job, then deletethe files in the spool, it should be really killed.I use Win98, in that the spool is in the "temp" directpory, by defaultc:\temp. Windows might not let you do that, though maybe deltree wouldwork.I think XP has a separate spool directory.

Maybe ask in more hardcore Windows venues if you can't make this work.Also, Google on the names of the tasks you see and you should get someclues as to what they do.

Something that might avoid the problem entirely: get a USB to parallelcable/adapter, plug one of the printers into that via a USB port. Theseare not expensive. (The 1100 has a small, "C" size parallel port.)

> CR Optiker wrote:>> Is there a simple, clean and reliabel way to disrupt printing with> this>> configuration and clear the disrupted print jobs?> > I haven't tried this -- but I think if you cancel the job, then delete> the files in the spool, it should be really killed.> I use Win98, in that the spool is in the "temp" directpory, by default> c:\temp. Windows might not let you do that, though maybe deltree would> work.> I think XP has a separate spool directory.> > Maybe ask in more hardcore Windows venues if you can't make this work.> Also, Google on the names of the tasks you see and you should get some> clues as to what they do.> > Something that might avoid the problem entirely: get a USB to parallel> cable/adapter, plug one of the printers into that via a USB port. These> are not expensive. (The 1100 has a small, "C" size parallel port.)

Thanks very much for the suggestion...the parallel to USB is a goodsuggestion and would certainly take care of the problem at its source. I'lllook for one next time I get to Circuit City, or one of the other localelectronics stores.

I posted to another forum and got the following, which also sounds like agood thing to try - probably do this first and see what happens...------------------------------In W2000 or XP, go to Control Panel/Services. Find something with a namelike Print Spooler. Stop that service, wait a minute, then restart it.------------------------------Thanks again!Optiker